360° Panorama Photo: Mineral Point Overlook, Colorado

Mineral Point is a ghost town located high in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado at an elevation of about 12,000'. You're looking at San Juan County, the highest county (by average elevation) in the United States. Back in the 1880s, Mineral Point was a thriving community, with numerous gold and silver mines nearby.

This was my patrol area back in the summer of 1984 when I worked at the BLM ranger in Silverton, about 10 miles south of here down the Animas River valley. I'd drive up to Mineral Point about once a week and help visitors, put up directional signs, and do other things. I couldn't believe they were paying me to work here, because I would've done it for free!